The email you must have been waiting eagerly for some time now. The desperation while waiting can get unbearable sometimes, but trust me, if you’ve put everything appropriately in your NHS jobs application, it won’t be long before you’ll get that email calling you for an interview.
If you have already managed everything and looking for how to prepare for the interview, have a look here, The NHS Job Interview : Questions & Answers to understand the general question structures and answers to them.
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Trac Jobs
Most of the employers (trusts) use a platform called Trac Jobs to maintain communication with their future employees and setup interview and all other following processes. In addition to the NHS Jobs Profile, you can open an account here at Trac Jobs, with the same email address. That will make all the jobs you applied in the NHS Jobs that are connected to trac available to claim.
The email that will be sent to you to come for an interview will have a Trac Jobs link which will directly take you to book an interview. After booking you will also be sent a interview confirmation email stating the place where your interview will take place.
So what happens when I get a phone call?
Yes, some HRs will call you first and tell you that you’ve been shortlisted for an interview and ask you if you would be able to go for an interview. After you agree, they will process your official Trac Jobs/email invitation. Remember, just a call means nothing until you have an official email/invitation.
You won’t have an option to choose either time or date online for your interview. If the date is inconvenient for you, contact the HR first, then confirm the interview. Who you need to contact should be given in the job advert. Usually the advert also states if the interview must be done face to face, or when they call you in for an interview they will tell you.
So should I go for a Skype interview or face to face?
I have a personal opinion about this matter but it boils down to your own circumstances, choice, and comfort. From my experience, and from what I have heard from some HRs after the fact, by actually showing up for the interview it shows a level of commitment and also it allows the panel to get to know you better. Judging an individual face to face is vastly different than doing so via the inter-webs. Again, it is up to your discretion. However, if you are in the UK and can go, I would highly suggest physically attending.
I finalized my interview. It’s after two weeks. What do I do now?
First thing, don’t hit pause on your job hunt. Keep applying for as many suitable job adverts you see. Secondly, you need to make arrangements for transportation to where your interview will be held. Finally, a bit of preparation for the interview itself.
If you are looking at this article confusedly about how to apply for jobs in the first place, please check this out: How to Apply for Jobs in the NHS. Also for the preparation of a job interview, you can check The NHS job interview: Q&A.
In this post, I will discuss about how to plan your transportation to your interview place effectively so that you pay less money and get things done effectively at the same time.
How do I get there?
There are so many ways to get around the UK. But among the following three are the most used and easiest for you to determine and plan.
1) Bus
2) Train
3) Taxi
Bus
The cheapest way for long distance travel. Unfortunately, you may not always find a suitable return on that very day, in that case you can book for one way outbound to go there by bus, and then book a return train ticket back. This will save you a few quids.
Which bus to take?
The following bus services are good and have a lot of coverage:
The minute you confirm your interview, you should head into these websites to find out timings and cost of the trip.
Train
Train is the one of the largest transportations in the UK. Possibly there is train to everywhere and anywhere. They love trains.
How to book trains?
- Trainline
- Go Euro
These two are good websites to book trains from point A to point B. Same rule applies here, keep an eye out for timings and price of the tickets.
Taxi
Taxi cabs allow you to partake in a bit of comfort and luxury when you’re travelling to an interview- especially if you’re concerned about wrinkling your outfit or want some peace and quiet without the headache of having to pay attention before your interview. You can follow this link to book a taxi for a discount. Remember that if you are sharing with others, this may be the most cost effective way to travel!
I booked my transportation but I have to spend a night there!
Yes, this is where you will have to make a calculation.
- Sometimes the round trip bus ticket will cost less than half of the round trip train ticket.
- Sometimes, the round trip bus ticket added with one night stay will cost less than the round trip train ticket. So why not stay a night?
Places to stay
You may find so many options in the internet, sometimes with jaw dropping prices. Most of them are scams, when you finally checkout you will be paying more than a nice hotel room. So I would suggest stick to the reliable ones.
- Booking.com
- Airbnb
You can filter your search so many ways in these websites. But what I always do is use maps. I find the hospital where my interview will be and look for hotels or airbnbs near that location. In that way I can just walk to the hospital before my interview.
Finally, a big suggestion about booking tickets online: look for tickets in the incognito mode of your browser, it will show ALL the available (and thus cheaper) tickets as the website can’t track you.
